The best of Jamaica’s tourism product was on show at the second annual Adventure In Travel Expo (ATE) and trade show held at the Jacob Javits Convention Centre in Manhattan, New York from January 14 to 16. Along the crowded Caribbean Village corridor, travel wholesalers and retailers were given sneak peeks into key areas and aspects of Jamaica’s tourism through displays mounted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and Unique Jamaica, an adventure tour company. Live music from Coral Seas Productions complemented the presentation. The annual exposition brings together the best in the industry, featuring the most comprehensive array of travel options. It provides a unique opportunity for the public to learn and experience the thrills of travel and find everything they need to plan their dream vacation. “This is our invitation to travellers to experience the world,” says ATE Executive Director, Jim Cohen during an interview with JIS News. “Travel today is regarded as an opportunity to truly experience a destination or an activity and people are drawn to the Adventures in Travel Expo because they see and experience what a destination or resort offers before they spend their hard-earned money,” he said. JTB’s Regional Marketing Representative, Kenton Senior, said that events, such as the trade exposition, help to demonstrate the diversity of Jamaica’s world-class tourism destination and product. “Jamaica’s tourism product is more than just sand, sea and sunshine; it’s an adventure in travel,” he stated. Andrew Sharpe, Managing Director of Unique Jamaica, noted that the benefits from such trade shows were priceless. “It is always good to have a presence at these shows for a number of reasons. Holiday seekers get a first hand look at what you have to offer, and you also get to compare your product with the competition,” he pointed out. He said that the presence of Unique Jamaica served to demonstrate that the company was serious about its offer of a true Jamaican experience to visitors to the island. The exposition, which is the second largest trade show of its kind on the Northeast corridor, was sponsored in part by the New York Post Newspaper. An estimated 20,000 holiday seekers – a significant increase over last year – viewed the displays mounted by the more than 200 exhibitors.